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Columbine Student on VG Violence

Posted by Zonk on from the say-on,-brotha dept.

Sophia wrote in to mention some discussion of Video Game Violence on 1up.com this week. Brooks Brown had the experience of attending Columbine High School around the time of the now infamous shooting incident. Via his blog, Brown goes into a detailed discussion of Why Violence in Gaming is a Good Thing. From the article: "GTA isn't about fucking hookers or killing cops. It's a story of a guy who got screwed trying to get back on top. It is, by nature, a story game. Postal 2 may let you kill anyone you want in bloody and disgusting ways - but that's not what it is about either. It is, by nature, a tech demo in the abilities of programmers and AI. it is WE - the gamers - who change what the game is about and determine what happens. It is the person playing who determines what the game contains." Jane Pinckard has a quick reaction to his post. More commentary on this subject is available via John Davison's Blog, who met Brown at a taping of a news program which was ostensibly to be about gaming in general. Instead he was ambushed about violence in games and ended up walking out.

3 of 411 comments (clear)

  1. psycho-babble by Hao+Wu · · Score: 0, Flamebait
    While he carefully explains the pros and cons of playing videogames (and some non-relation to a bloody massacre), others are busy with their happy lives working jobs, playing with friends, and making plans for the weekend.

    Grow up, kid.

    --
    I suggest you read Slashdot
  2. It's not about what it's about? by Peter+Cooper · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Postal 2 may let you kill anyone you want in bloody and disgusting ways - but that's not what it is about either. It is, by nature, a tech demo in the abilities of programmers and AI.

    Oh, so 9/11 was just a demonstration of how well a plane can stay intact when colliding with a building.. and the Unabomber was just testing the ability for volatile materials to stay intact through the USPS? I can get used to making up this sort of bullshit!

  3. Re:weirdos by Karma+Farmer · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I disagree. I believe there is nothing to prevent a geek, nerd, goth, etc. from being a homicidal maniac. My point is that is that if you identify with the Columbine killers, it's because you're a homicidal maniac. It's not because you're a geek.